Marc Alvie Salvan
Summative Assessment – Midterm
It has been almost a year when countries declared total lockdown due to a deadly and
widespread disease called COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease). We experience severe
impacts such as losing a large value of gross domestic products, tourism revenue of all
countries, business closure, unexpected high unemployment rate, and so on. Public
health crisis cease the operations of all establishments, private and local government
offices and even schools across the world. The significant effects of the COVID-19
pandemic target all sectors in society and affects each and everybody, especially who
are at risk. As we experience this unforeseen circumstances, living in these kind of
situations can be tough for all people especially for their social, physical and mental
wellbeing. Evidently, students are included on the most vulnerable ones. As a result,
the rise of online learning is the only platform available and the "new normal setting"
was immediately implemented. Online learning is a pragmatic solution on today’s
fortuitous circumstances and certainly the most essential alternative for students,
teachers and even parents.
As of April 2020, according to the World Economic Forum, greater than 1.2 billion
children in about 200 countries are out and away from their usual classroom
setting. The untimely closing of all schools was the government's positive solution to
protect the possible risks of contracting COVID-19 to school-going students. School
areas are places where hundreds of students gather, allowing unsafe places where the
virus can spread rapidly. This meant shutting down school operations globally.
Students and teachers had no choice but to shift into distant and virtual classes -
teaching and learning in the comfort of their own homes. The idea of online learning
perceptibly influential during this unprecedented times and everyone slowly get used
to it. With the resilience of faculty members up to the supportive parents of the
students, online learning have been successful and it is still ongoing. Teachers and
students are likely in the classroom set up while at home. This set up maybe new but
people tend to adapt this sudden shift for safety purposes. The way of teaching was
changed but many teachers said that by the help of this platform they can easily reach
out to their students and other teachers via chat groups, video meetings and document
sharing. Many students also find it easier to communicate with their classmates and
teachers. Sometimes they encounter challenges but eventually they overcome it.
Educational technology is evidently effective during this time and we can also say that
this is the new school for the students. Schools are creating online options and
providing modules to teachers and students through social media platforms. School
administrators help faculties and students to adapt virtual teaching and learning. They
had contingency plans on the situations like this everyone will be guided.
Distant and virtual classes are feasible through the various video telephony software
programs and online educational services available to users. The accessibility, of
course, is made possible by modern-day technology. During the pre-quarantine
period, video-communication service providers, like Zoom and Google Meet, weren't
as prominent as they are in the present. Video calls made through the said software
were merely for chatting, reconnecting, and reaching out to friends, family, and other
people far from each other. Blackboard and Google Classroom were released in 2014.
However, users only fully appreciated and recognized their utility when educational
institutions used them as primary means of learning platforms. Today, it's undeniable
that Zoom and Google Meet, and Blackboard and Google Classroom are a few of the
most eminent apps and websites in the market - especially for educational purposes.
Ergo, I strongly believe that online learning modalities is the best solution for
the students, teachers and parents. This might be new to us but I am pretty sure
that we can get the hang of it. No one knows when and how this pandemic will
end. Many of us are hoping that all of us will be fine soon and everything will go back
to normal. We cannot move forward and think of another solution if we will not start
to adapt. I also strongly agree that with the help of this new normal setting, teachers
serves as aid to secure student's goal and achieve their dreams in life in spite of the
fact that they are still battling on their darkest phase of their lives. While tough times
can immerse students in distress, teachers role is to emphasize to them that silver
linings can still be found and through online learning the ball keeps going and their
future is still on their hands and no crisis will stop them dreaming.
